Vietnam, Norway Hold Political Consultations

State Secretary to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Erik Lahnstein and Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Thanh Son conducted the fourth session of Vietnam-Norway political consultations for 2010 in Hanoi on November 24.

This meeting is held every year to discuss ways of promoting bilateral relations and international and regional issues of common concern between the two countries.


Deputy Foreign Minister Son briefed Mr Lahnstein on Vietnam’s socio-economic status while saying the country maintained a high growth rate of 6.7 percent in 2010. The Vietnamese Government has devised six major solutions to ensure growth with a focus on improving the investment environment, stabilising the macro economy and boosting agriculture and rural development comprehensively and sustainably, he said.


He said the focus was also on increasing the efficiency of State management, enhancing administrative reform, revamping market economy institutions, creating a stable business environment, ensuring political stability and actively joining the international economic integration.


Vietnam attaches great importance to its relations with Norway and praises its assistance and support to Vietnam at bilateral and multilateral forums. These have provided a good foundation for both countries to expand relations and also helped Vietnam fulfill its tasks as a non-permanent member at the UN Security Council and ASEAN Chair.


For his part, Mr Erik said his country plans cooperation with Vietnam in various fields and applauded Vietnam’s achievements in promoting socio-economic development and implementing Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).


Over the past years, relations between Vietnam and Norway have grown and flourished in areas such as politics, economics, culture and social affairs. Norway has actively assisted Vietnam in poverty reduction, international integration and issues related to democracy, human rights and religion in the spirit of cooperation and construction. The two sides have cooperated effectively at international forums in the UN, the WTO and the WB.


At this session, they agreed to maintain exchange visits by senior delegations and cooperation mechanisms between the two foreign ministries.


During the Vietnam visit, Mr Lahnstein met with Vietnamese ministries and sectors and visited the Hanoi National University and some historical sites.


 

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